Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 99마628

Injunction to Preserve Employee Status (피용인지위보전가처분)피용인지위보전가처분

Decided1999. 07. 12. Court대법원Workers lost (employer, i.e., the Residents' Representative Council, prevailed)
AI-generated English translation (summary, key points, decision summary and full text) for reference only — not an official translation and without legal effect. The Korean original below is authoritative.
AI Easy read — AI summary of this decision
AI-generated summary for reference only — the Korean original below is authoritative.

In this case, employees of an apartment complex's management office sought a court order confirming their employee status against the Residents' Representative Council (입주자대표회의). The Supreme Court of Korea ruled that the Council was not their 'employer' (사용자), since it had merely entered into an entrustment/management contract (위수탁계약) with a separate management company and did not exercise concrete direction or supervision over the employees. The Court reaffirmed the principle that employer status requires a genuine relationship of subordination and control (실질적 사용종속관계), not merely a formal employment contract.

Key takeaways
  • CaseManagement office employees sought confirmation of employee status against the apartment Residents' Representative Council, claiming it was their true employer.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court held that the Council was not the employer because it lacked direct, specific control over the employees' actual work performance.
  • LessonEmployer status depends on real, substantive supervision and control over work, not just formal contractual or administrative involvement.
Issues
  • Requirements for recognizing an apartment complex's Residents' Representative Council as an 'employer' under labor law
  • Conditions for establishing a genuine employment relationship under an entrustment/management contract structure
Key reasoning

The Court found that although the Residents' Representative Council was involved in certain personnel matters and wage negotiations, the management company retained its authority over personnel decisions and day-to-day business direction, which was never entirely excluded. Because the Council did not exercise specific and individualized direction or supervision over how the employees actually performed their work, it could not be considered the real employer under labor law. The decision emphasizes that employer status turns on substantive control over the work process, not on partial involvement in administrative or wage-related matters.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

[1] Where a management office chief, acting as an agent of an apartment management company that has entered into a consignment management contract (위수탁관리계약) with an apartment residents' representative council (입주자 대표회의), concludes employment contracts with employees who come to work at the management office, those employees are to be regarded as employees of the apartment management company. Accordingly, in order for the residents' representative council, which has merely entered into a consignment management contract with the apartment management company, to be recognized as an employer bearing the obligation to pay wages to such employees, it must be established that the employment contracts concluded by the employees with the management office chief as the counterparty are nothing more than formal and nominal arrangements, and that circumstances exist showing that the employees, in fact, provide labor to the residents' representative council in a subordinate relationship with it, and that the residents' representative council pays wages in return therefor, such that it can be found that at least an implied employment contract relationship has been formed between the management office employees and the residents' representative council.

[2] A case holding that, even though the apartment residents' representative council, exceeding the scope of its supervisory authority under its status pursuant to the consignment management contract concluded with the apartment management company, involved itself in the hiring and promotion of some employees or supervised the state of performance of the management office's affairs, and had also independently determined the level of wages, welfare expenses, and other working conditions for the management office employees, it cannot be said that the personnel authority (including the authority over appointment, dismissal, discipline, and assignment) and the authority to direct and supervise work, which the management company or the management office chief acting on its behalf holds as a party to the employment contracts with the management office employees, were entirely excluded or rendered a mere formality such that the employment contracts concluded with the employees were nothing more than formal arrangements; nor can it be said that the residents' representative council determined the content of the work of the management office employees and exercised specific and individualized direction and supervision over the course of their performance of such work; and therefore, the residents' representative council cannot be regarded as the employer in an employment contract relationship with the management office employees.

Full text (English, AI translation) 10,986 chars

[Appellants] Appellant 1 and 177 others (Attorneys Lee Kyung-woo and 1 other, counsel for the Appellants)
[Respondent] ○○ Apartment Residents' Representative Council (Attorney Yoo Cheol-gyun and 8 others of Cheonjiin Law Firm, counsel for the Respondent)
[Lower Court Decision] Seoul High Court Decision 98Ra305, dated January 11, 1999

[Order]

All of the appeals are dismissed.

[Reasoning]

The grounds for appeal are examined as follows.

1. Examining the terms of the entrustment and management contract concluded between the Respondent and Bohwa Enterprise Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "non-party Bohwa") on June 30, 1994, the contract was, in essence, an agreement whereby the Respondent entrusted the management of ○○ Apartment located at (address omitted), Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to non-party Bohwa, a housing management business operator, and non-party Bohwa was to perform the entrusted duties at its own responsibility using its own employees, at the expense of the apartment residents, in return for a management fee of 30 won per pyeong. Even though the contract contains provisions, as asserted in the grounds for appeal, requiring the Respondent's approval of the organization and personnel of the apartment management office to be established by non-party Bohwa, requiring the Respondent's consent or approval for the appointment of each employee, the payment of employees' salaries and retirement benefits, the imposition of management fees, and all expenditures, requiring immediate compliance with the Respondent's request for dismissal of employees, and requiring monthly reports on matters concerning expenditure execution and fund management, this does not mean that the contract was merely a nominal entrustment and management contract, or that the Respondent, in substance, exercised personnel authority and the right to direct and command the work of the employees working at the apartment management office.

The lower court's determination to the same effect is justified, and there is no error of misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the interpretation of contract terms. Therefore, the argument in the grounds for appeal on this point is without merit.

2. Even if the Respondent was involved in the appointment of the head of the management office of this apartment complex in the manner alleged in the grounds for appeal, it is clear from the record that the head of the management office was, in status, an employee belonging to non-party Bohwa and an agent of non-party Bohwa who was granted the authority to oversee the overall work of the apartment management office in performing the entrusted management duties. The Appellants, who were hired under employment contracts concluded with the head of the management office and came to work at the management office, must be regarded as employees of non-party Bohwa. In order for the Respondent, who merely concluded the entrustment and management contract with non-party Bohwa, to be recognized as the employer bearing the obligation to pay wages to these Appellants, it must be found that the employment contracts concluded by the Appellants with the head of the management office as the counterparty were merely formal and nominal, that the Appellants, in a de facto subordinate relationship with the Respondent, provided labor to the Respondent, and that the Respondent paid wages in return for such labor, and other such circumstances, such that at least an implied employment relationship between the Appellants and the Respondent can be found to have been established (see Supreme Court Decision 72Da895, decided November 14, 1972; Supreme Court Decision 96Nu1504, decided June 11, 1996, etc.).

According to the record, it can be seen that the Respondent resolved on matters such as the hiring for the new position of technical manager at the management office, the withholding of new employee hiring, and the promotion of the management section chief, management supervisor, or security team leader; that the chairman and executives, as representatives of the Respondent, participated in interviews for the hiring of some new employees and the promotion of the security team leader; that the Respondent's representative also commended employees at the end of the year; that the Respondent approved documents drafted by the management office concerning new employee hiring, re-appointment of contract employees, handling of retirees, internal personnel appointments, and payment of wages, lunch and night meal allowances, other welfare expenses, and retirement benefits; that the Respondent received reports from the management office on fund execution and operation plans, work plans, and work performance; that the Respondent sent work directives to the head of the management office or notified him of matters resolved at monthly meetings; and that the Respondent was the counterparty in wage negotiations with the labor union to which the Appellants belonged, and determined the amount of employees' wages, welfare expenses, etc.

However, on the other hand, considering Article 3, Paragraph 1, Article 10, Paragraph 6, and Article 15, Paragraph 1 of the Multi-Family Housing Management Order (공동주택관리령) together, the management business operator is to collect management fees from the residents, as necessary for management duties in accordance with what is determined by the residents' representative council, including personnel expenses such as employees' salaries and retirement benefits, as well as various administrative expenses and uniform costs, and, in addition to maintaining and repairing the multi-family housing subject to management, its auxiliary facilities, welfare facilities, and various equipment, and managing safety, is to execute matters determined by the residents' representative council. According to the entrustment and management contract in this case, the Respondent entrusted non-party Bohwa not only with the collection of management fees but also with the deposit and use of management fees, without making any separate agreement on the limit or amount of expenses necessary for the entrusted management duties. Therefore, non-party Bohwa, as a mandatary, naturally owes a duty to report to the Respondent on matters concerning the execution status and operation of the deposited management fees, including monthly expenditures for entrusted business expenses such as employees' wages, welfare expenses, and retirement benefits. Furthermore, examining the record, it can be seen that the hiring of new employees and the promotion of employees are matters requiring additional burden of personnel expenses, the necessity for which is raised by the head of the management office, and the final decision is not always made solely by the Respondent's will. In particular, the Respondent's resolutions concerning the promotion of the security team leader and the withholding of new employee hiring, and its participation in the selection of the security team leader, occurred after doubts were raised as to the qualifications of the person to be promoted as a result of an audit, leading to a process of reselecting the relevant person, and after issues arose concerning excessive payment of wages and retirement benefits by the management office. Most of the draft documents from the management office approved by the Respondent's representative concerned matters related to management fees, and the work directives were merely matters reported or suggested by the residents. Meanwhile, it can also be seen that the representative director of non-party Bohwa and the head of the management office each carried out employee commendations; that the head of the management office regulated employees' service order pursuant to the rules of employment drafted by him, and supervised employees' assignment, work shift organization, and the specific performance of employees' duties; that he withdrew management fees and directly paid wages to employees; that the Respondent merely requested the head of the management office to take disciplinary action against employees; that the head of the management office registered as a business operator under his own name and paid industrial accident compensation insurance premiums, medical insurance premiums, and national pension contributions for the employees, thereby acting as the business operator for the employees in relation to industrial accident compensation insurance, medical insurance, and the national pension; and that he concluded collective agreements with the labor union on behalf of non-party Bohwa.

Considering the entrustment and management contract in this case together with all of the above circumstances, it is acknowledged that the Respondent went beyond the scope of supervisory authority based on its status under the entrustment and management contract by being involved in the hiring and promotion of some employees or by supervising the state of performance of the management office's duties, and by independently determining the level of payment of the Appellants' working conditions such as wages and welfare expenses. However, it cannot be said that the personnel authority, including the authority to appoint, dismiss, discipline, and assign, and the right to direct and command work, which non-party Bohwa or the head of the management office acting as its agent held over the Appellants as a party to the employment contract, were entirely excluded or rendered nominal, such that the employment contracts concluded with the Appellants were merely formal. Nor can it be said that the Respondent determined the content of the Appellants' duties and exercised specific and individual direction and supervision in the course of the performance of such duties. Therefore, it cannot be said that the Respondent is the employer in an employment relationship with the Appellants.

Accordingly, the lower court's conclusion that the Respondent could not be found to have substantially directed and supervised the Appellants to the extent that the Respondent could be regarded as the Appellants' employer is justified. However, the lower court's finding that a collective agreement was concluded every year, as asserted in the grounds for appeal, and its conclusion that all of the Respondent's actions described above constituted the exercise of supervisory authority, were erroneous; however, this error cannot be deemed an illegality affecting the lower court's decision. Furthermore, there is no other illegality, such as misapprehension of the legal principles concerning employment relationships, as asserted in the grounds for appeal. Therefore, the argument in the grounds for appeal on this point is also without merit.

3. Accordingly, all Justices participating in the deliberation unanimously agree to dismiss all of the appeals, and it is so decided as set forth in the Order.

Justice Cho Mu-je (Presiding Justice), Jeong Gwi-ho, Kim Hyeong-seon (Justice in charge), Lee Yong-hun

【판결요지】

[1] 아파트 입주자 대표회의와 사이에 위수탁관리계약을 체결한 아파트 관리업자의 대리인인 관리소장이 관리사무소에서 근무하게 된 직원들과 근로계약을 체결하였다면 그 직원들은 아파트 관리업자의 피용인이라고 할 것이므로, 아파트 관리업자와 위수탁관리계약을 체결하였을 뿐인 아파트 입주자 대표회의가 직원들에 대하여 임금지급의무가 있는 사용자로 인정되기 위하여는 그 직원들이 관리사무소장을 상대방으로 하여 체결한 근로계약이 형식적이고 명목적인 것에 지나지 않고, 직원들이 사실상 입주자 대표회의와 종속적인 관계에서 그에게 근로를 제공하며, 입주자 대표회의는 그 대가로 임금을 지급하는 사정 등이 존재하여 관리사무소 직원들과 입주자 대표회의와 사이에 적어도 묵시적인 근로계약관계가 성립되어 있다고 평가되어야 한다.

[2] 아파트 입주자 대표회의가 아파트 관리업자와 체결한 위수탁관리계약상의 지위에 기한 감독권의 범위를 넘어 일부 직원의 채용과 승진에 관여하거나 관리사무소 업무의 수행상태를 감독하기도 하고, 또 관리사무소 직원들의 근로조건인 임금, 복지비 등의 지급수준을 독자적으로 결정하여 오기는 하였으나, 관리업자 혹은 그를 대리한 관리사무소장이 근로계약 당사자로서 갖는 관리사무소 직원들에 대한 임면, 징계, 배치 등 인사권과 업무지휘명령권이 모두 배제 내지 형해화되어 그 직원들과 체결한 근로계약이 형식적인 것에 지나지 않는다고 할 수 없고, 또 입주자 대표회의가 관리사무소 직원들의 업무내용을 정하고 그 업무수행 과정에 있어 구체적·개별적인 지휘·감독을 행하고 있다고 볼 수도 없는 경우, 입주자 대표회의가 그 관리사무소 직원들과 근로계약관계에 있는 사용자라고 볼 수 없다고 한 사례.

【참조조문】

[1] 근로기준법 제14조, 제15조, 주택건설촉진법 제38조, 제39조, 공동주택관리령 제3조, 제10조, 제15조

[2] 근로기준법 제14조, 제15조, 주택건설촉진법 제38조, 제39조, 공동주택관리령 제3조, 제10조, 제15조

【참조판례】

[1] 대법원 1972. 11. 14. 선고 72다895 판결(집20-3, 민104), 대법원 1996. 6. 11. 선고 96누1504 판결(공1996하, 2211)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 3,827자 · 펼쳐 보기

【재항고인】 재항고인 1 외 177인 (재항고인들 소송대리인 변호사 이경우 외 1인)

【상 대 방】 ○○아파트 입주자대표회의 (소송대리인 법무법인 천지인 담당변호사 유철균 외 8인)

【원심결정】 서울고법 1999. 1. 11. 자 98라305 결정

【주 문】

재항고를 모두 기각한다.

【이 유】 재항고이유를 판단한다.

1. 피신청인과 1994. 6. 30. 신청외 보화기업 주식회사(이하 신청외 보화라고 한다) 사이에 체결된 위수탁관리계약은, 그 계약서의 내용을 살펴보면, 기본적으로 피신청인이 서울 강남구 (주소 생략) 소재 ○○아파트에 대한 관리업무를 주택관리업자인 신청외 보화에게 위탁하고, 신청외 보화는 수탁업무를 위 아파트 입주자의 비용부담하에 그의 책임으로 그의 직원을 사용하여 수행하고 보수로서 평당 30원씩의 수탁비를 지급받기로 하는 내용의 약정으로서, 비록 그 계약서에 재항고이유에서 들고 있는 바와 같은 신청외 보화가 설치하는 아파트관리기구의 조직과 인원에 대하여 피신청인의 승인을 얻어야 하고, 신청외 보화는 각 직원의 임명, 직원의 급여와 퇴직급여의 지급, 관리비 부과 및 모든 경비의 지출에 있어 피신청인의 동의 혹은 승인을 받아야 하며, 직원에 대한 피신청인의 해임요구에 즉시 응하고, 매월 경비 집행과 자금관리에 관한 사항을 보고하여야 한다는 규정 등을 두고 있다고 하여도, 위 계약이 형식상의 위수탁관리계약에 불과하고 피신청인이 실질적으로 위 아파트의 관리사무소에 근무하는 직원들에 대한 인사권, 업무지휘명령권 등을 행사한다는 내용의 것이라고 볼 수는 없다.

같은 취지의 원심 판단은 정당하고 거기에 계약의 내용과 해석에 관한 법리오해의 위법이 있다고 할 수 없으므로 이에 관한 재항고이유의 주장은 이유 없다.

2. 이 사건 아파트의 관리사무소장 임명에 관하여 피신청인이 재항고이유의 주장과 같은 경위로 관여한 적이 있다고 하더라도 관리사무소장은 그 신분이 신청외 보화 소속 직원으로서 수탁한 관리업무를 수행하는 위 아파트 관리사무소의 업무를 총괄하는 권한을 부여받은 신청외 보화의 대리인임은 기록상 분명하고, 관리사무소장과 근로계약을 체결하고 채용되어 위 관리사무소에서 근무하게 된 직원들인 신청인들은 어디까지나 신청외 보화의 피용인이라고 할 것인바, 이러한 신청인들에 대하여 신청외 보화와 위수탁관리계약을 체결하였을 뿐인 피신청인이 임금지급의무가 있는 사용자로 인정되기 위하여는 신청인들이 관리사무소장을 상대방으로 하여 체결한 근로계약이 형식적이고 명목적인 것에 지나지 않고, 신청인들이 사실상 피신청인과 종속적인 관계에서 그에게 근로를 제공하며, 피신청인은 그 대가로 임금을 지급하는 사정 등이 존재하여 신청인들과 피신청인과 사이에 적어도 묵시적인 근로계약관계가 성립되어 있다고 평가되지 않으면 안된다(대법원 1972. 11. 14. 선고 72다895 판결, 1996. 6. 11. 선고 96누1504 판결 등 참조).

기록에 의하면 피신청인이 위 관리사무소의 새로운 직책인 기술실장의 채용이나 신규 직원 채용의 보류, 관리계장과 관리주임 혹은 경비반장의 승진을 의결하기도 하고, 일부 신규 직원의 채용과 경비반장의 승진을 위한 면접에 피신청인의 대표자인 회장과 간부들이 참여하였으며, 또 피신청인의 대표자가 연말에 직원을 표창하기도 하고, 관리사무소가 기안하는 신규 직원 채용, 촉탁사원 재임용, 퇴직자 처리, 내부 인사발령, 임금과 중식비, 야식비 등 복지비 및 퇴직금의 지급에 관한 서류에 결재를 하며, 관리사무소로부터 자금집행 및 운용계획, 업무계획과 업무실적 등을 보고받고, 관리사무소장에게 업무지시서를 보내거나 월례회의 의결사항을 통보한 사실, 그리고 피신청인이 신청인들이 속한 노동조합의 임금교섭 상대방이 되어 직원들의 임금액, 복지비 등을 결정하여 온 사실 등을 알 수 있다.

그러나 다른 한편 공동주택관리령 제3조 제1항, 제10조 제6항, 제15조 제1항을 종합하면 관리업자는 입주자대표회의가 결정한 바에 따라 관리업무에 필요한 비용으로 입주자로부터 직원들의 급여, 퇴직금 등 인건비와 제 사무비용, 피복비 등을 포함하는 관리비를 징수하고, 관리대상 공동주택과 부대시설 및 복리시설과 각종 설비의 유지 $보수와 안전관리 등을 하는 외에 입주자대표회의에서 결정한 사항의 집행 등을 행하도록 되어 있고, 이 사건 위수탁관리계약서에 의하면 피신청인은 위탁한 관리업무에 필요한 비용의 한도 내지 수액에 관한 별도의 약정을 함이 없이 신청외 보화에게 관리비의 징수 외에 관리비의 예치, 사용도 위탁하였으므로 신청외 보화는 수임인으로서 예치된 관리비 중 수탁업무 처리비용으로 매월 지출하는 직원의 임금, 복지비, 퇴직금 등 집행 상황과 그 운용에 관한 사항에 대하여 당연히 피신청인에게 보고의무를 진다 할 것이며, 또한 기록에 의하여 살펴보면 신규 직원의 채용과 직원의 승진은 인건비의 추가 부담을 요하는 사항으로 그 필요성은 관리사무소장에 의하여 제기되고 있고, 그 최종적인 결정은 항상 피신청인의 의사만으로 되는 것이 아니며, 특히 피신청인이 한 경비반장 승진과 신규 직원의 채용 보류에 관한 의결 및 경비반장 선정 참여는 감사 결과 승진자의 자격 등 선정과정에 의혹이 제기되어 해당자를 다시 선정하는 과정과 관리사무소의 임금 및 퇴직금의 과다 지급 등이 문제된 후 이루어진 일이고, 피신청인의 대표자가 결재한 관리사무소의 기안서류는 대부분 관리비와 관계 있는 내용이며, 업무지시서는 입주자들이 제보하거나 건의하는 내용에 불과하고, 한편 신청외 보화의 대표이사 및 관리사무소장도 각자 직원표창을 실시하고 있고, 관리사무소장은 그가 작성한 취업규칙에 의하여 직원들의 복무질서를 규율하고, 직원들 배치, 근무조 편성 등과 함께 직원들의 구체적인 업무수행에 대한 감독을 행하며, 관리비를 인출하여 직접 직원들에게 임금을 지급하고, 피신청인은 관리사무소장에게 직원에 대한 징계를 요구할 뿐이며, 관리사무소장이 그의 명의로 사업자등록을 하고 직원들을 위하여 산업재해보상 및 의료보험의 보험료, 국민연금부담금을 납부하여 산업재해보상보험, 의료보험, 국민연금관계에서 직원들에 대한 사업자로 하여 왔으며, 신청외 보화를 대표하여 노동조합과 단체협약을 체결한 사실도 알 수 있다.

위와 같은 제반 사정에 이 사건 위수탁관리계약의 내용을 종합하면, 피신청인은 위수탁관리계약상의 지위에 기한 감독권의 범위를 넘어 일부 직원의 채용과 승진에 관여하거나 관리사무소 업무의 수행 상태를 감독하기도 하고, 또 신청인들의 근로조건인 임금, 복지비 등의 지급 수준을 독자적으로 결정하여 온 점은 인정되지만, 신청외 보화 혹은 그를 대리한 관리사무소장이 근로계약 당사자로서 갖는 신청인들에 대한 임면, 징계, 배치 등 인사권과 업무지휘명령권이 모두 배제 내지 형해화되어 신청인들과 체결한 근로계약이 형식적인 것에 지나지 않는다고 할 수 없고, 또 피신청인이 신청인들의 업무내용을 정하고 그 업무수행과정에 있어 구체적·개별적인 지휘·감독을 행하고 있다고 볼 수도 없으므로, 피신청인이 신청인들과 근로계약관계에 있는 사용자라고 할 수 없다.

따라서 피신청인을 신청인들의 사용자로 볼 만큼 피신청인이 실질적으로 신청인들을 지휘·감독한 것으로 볼 수 없다고 한 원심의 결론은 정당하고, 다만 원심이 재항고이유의 주장과 같이 단체협약이 매년 체결되었다고 인정하고, 위에서 본 바와 같은 피신청인의 조치를 모두 감독권의 행사에 해당한다고 단정한 것은 잘못이라고 하겠으나 이는 원심결정에 영향을 미치는 위법이라고 볼 수 없고, 그 밖에 재항고이유의 주장과 같은 근로관계에 관한 법리오해 등의 위법이 있다고 할 수 없으므로, 이 부분 재항고이유의 주장도 받아들일 수 없다.

3. 그러므로 재항고를 모두 기각하기로 관여 법관들의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 결정한다.

대법관 조무제(재판장) 정귀호 김형선(주심) 이용훈

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